The Hindu : National : We have left the past and are moving ahead: BJP

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Friday, Jun 25, 2004

National

National

We have left the past and are moving ahead: BJP

By Neena Vyas

MUMBAI, JUNE 24. On the last day of the three-day national executive committee here, the Bharatiya Janata Party set for itself tasks for the future. "It was a mood changing meeting; we have left the past behind; we have learnt all the lessons through collective reflection; and now we go forward with sankalp (determination)," the party president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, said today.

Releasing the `Tasks Ahead' discussion paper, Mr. Naidu said the internal debate that began at the executive committee meeting would be carried forward at the chintan baithak planned for late July, and then the party would fine-tune its strategy and give a final touch to the "tasks ahead."

Last night, the party adopted a resolution that charged the new Government with "assaulting the education system" and trying to distort history "under Marxist influence". It was a direct attack on the new Government's plan to revise history textbooks, which, it said, had been "saffronised" in the last six years. In fact, the BJP resolution defended the changes in textbooks made during its regime as the "most transparent and democratic exercise."

The party appealed to the people and academics to prevent "the evil and perverted designs of the United Progressive Alliance government," warning that the BJP would not allow India's heritage to be denigrated or its culture and tradition destroyed.

Mr. Naidu outlined the tasks the party has set for itself — the primary focus must be given to idealism and ideology. He emphasised the need for a mass base with a "strong cadre network." There would be an effort to spot young political talent that must emerge through mass mobilisation programmes, and the party would make an effort to strengthen its base among farmers and artisans in rural areas.

The party would project the Vajpayee Government's initiatives to make the people aware that for six years it had delivered good governance. The BJP would maintain an aggressive, but constructive, posture as an Opposition party.

Emphasising its focus on ideology, the party stressed that this would be done along with a vigorous effort to expand its base among the minorities and the socially and economically backward sections.

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